On the latest episode of the “Deebo and Joe” podcast, former Pittsburgh Steelers defenders James Harrison and Joe Haden broke down why wide receiver DK Metcalf has struggled to find consistency in the passing attack. They offered a technical, film-based solution rooted in pass-rush mechanics.
Rather than blaming timing issues or play-calling alone, Harrison drew on his experience as an elite edge rusher to explain how hand-fighting at the line of scrimmage often works against a physical wideout like Metcalf.
Harrison noted that when receivers initiate contact during their releases, they allow defensive backs to control their feet and momentum. He said instead Metcalf needs to use his speed to his advantage, and Haden agreed.
"Everything looked
like a go route,” explained Haden. “Try to bump into, trying to get all the contact hands and all. You take off on him, DK. Take off. Instead, everything looked like a go route. It looked every route that he ran there would look like a go. Shoot him. Full speed."
Harrison explained how defensive players use a receiver's own hands against them to force the receiver's feet onto the turf, comparing it directly to pass-rush moves on the perimeter.
"That's one of the things that I would do as an outside rusher is I would do a move where I would slap their hand,” demonstrated Harrison. “So when they would come, I would literally shoot this hand underneath. I would slap this hand down. When I slap this hand down right here, that makes that foot go into the ground. All I'm doing is using his body as a turn style to run around the corner."
Haden agreed, emphasizing that unnecessary contact slows down a receiver's footwork and delays vertical separation. By eliminating excessive hand-fighting and leaning into raw acceleration, Metcalf can force defenders onto their heels, opening up deeper route concepts and creating much-needed space for Pittsburgh's run game.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Wire: James Harrison gives masterclass on how DK Metcalf can break slump
